The present technology relates to a zoom lens and an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to a zoom lens suitable as an imaging lens system for use with a small-sized imaging apparatus such as a digital still camera or a video camera for home use and an imaging apparatus which uses the zoom lens.
In recent years, an imaging apparatus which uses a solid-state imaging device such as a digital still camera has become and is becoming widespread. As such a digital still camera as just described becomes widespread, higher picture quality is demanded. Particularly in a digital still camera or a like apparatus which includes a great number of pixels, an imaging lens, particularly a zoom lens, which is superior in an imaging performance corresponding to a solid-state imaging device having a large number of pixels is demanded.
Furthermore, also requests for miniaturization, increase of the angle of view and increase of the magnification ratio are being intensified recently, and a zoom lens which satisfies all of the requests is demanded. Further, in regard to miniaturization, not only reduction of the overall optical length, the front lens diameter and so forth in an imaging state but also reduction of them in a state in which lens groups are accommodated in the camera main body, namely, in a collapsed state, are demanded simultaneously.
Although various types of zoom lenses for a digital still camera are available, a zoom lens of a four-group configuration including a combination described below is known as a lens type suitable for miniaturization and increase of the magnification. In particular, a zoom lens is known which includes a first lens group having a positive refracting power, a second lens group having a negative refracting power, a third lens group having a positive refracting power and a fourth lens group having a positive refracting power. A zoom lens of the type described is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-186983.